SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A legislative package sponsored by state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, to keep more of our tax dollars here in Illinois and invest in local jobs by requiring Illinois state agencies to buy locally passed the House Wednesday.

“Taxpayer dollars should not be going to businesses overseas when there are plenty of good businesses here in Illinois and the United States,” Moylan said. “We should be helping create jobs here in our own country, not overseas.”

Moylan’s House Bill 137 mandates that state agencies must purchase American made products when making any type of purchase of goods. Moylan is also sponsoring a companion bill, House Bill 138, which mandates that state agencies must purchase Illinois manufactured goods when making any type of purchase of goods, if possible. If no plausible source is found, they are then required to purchase products made in America. The bills state that the products must be made up of more than 50 percent American or Illinoisan components. Certain restrictions are included, for items such as pharmaceutical drugs or when the price or quality does not meet the standards sought.

“My measure is one of several initiatives I’m supporting in Springfield to help create jobs and boost our economy,” Moylan said. “This is another way we can help lift up the middle class and make a brighter future for our state and country.”

Moylan is also sponsoring legislation to require the Department of Natural Resources and the Historic Preservation Agency to only sell products that are made in the United States. The most prominent location would be the Illinois State Museum. Moylan’s House Bill 2764 is another way to help highlight some of the businesses that manufacture goods throughout the state and country.

House Bill 137 and 138 both passed out of the House Wednesday and now move to the Senate for further consideration. House Bill 2764 awaits further consideration on the House floor.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, passed a legislative package on Wednesday that works to stimulate the sale of goods manufactured in Illinois or the United States and create local jobs.

“When we buy goods that are made in Illinois or America, we are not only getting superior products, but also putting people back to work,” Hoffman said. “Our taxpayer dollars should be used to create jobs for us here in the Metro-East and across all of Illinois.”

Hoffman’s legislative package includes House Bill 137, which mandates that state agencies must purchase American made products when making any type of purchase of goods. The second measure, House Bill 138, mandates that state agencies must purchase Illinois manufactured goods when making any type of purchase of goods, if possible. If no plausible source is found, they are then required to purchase products made in America.

The bills state that the products must be made up of more than 50 percent American or Illinoisan components. Certain restrictions are included, for items such as pharmaceutical drugs or when the price or quality does not meet the standards sought.

Hoffman’s measures aim to help Illinois and U.S. manufacturing by prioritizing goods made in Illinois and America, creating jobs along the way. The proposal brings Illinois into line with a practice that the Federal government has used since 1933 and multiple states that have requirements to spend taxpayer dollars on local products.

“As long as the state is not prioritizing Illinois and American products, we are losing out on economic opportunities,” Hoffman said. “This isn’t something new, let’s use our state’s buying power to buy Illinois or America and boost our state’s economy.”

Both House Bill 137 and House Bill 138 passed out of the House Wednesday and are awaiting further consideration in the Senate.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin is sponsoring two pieces of legislation aimed at ensuring American and Illinois made products are given priority consideration for all state purchases.

“Buying locally has a profound effect on local economies,” Halpin said. “More money per dollar stays in the community, and more small businesses have an opportunity to thrive. These bills are the start of a much larger conversation; we need to start buying locally sold products.”

House Bill 137 mandates that state agencies must purchase American made products when making any type of purchase of goods. House Bill 138 mandates that state agencies must purchase Illinois manufactured goods when making any type of purchase of goods, if possible. If no plausible source is found, they are then required to purchase products made in America. The bills state that the products must be made up of more than 50 percent American or Illinoisan components. Certain restrictions are included, for items such as pharmaceutical drugs or when the price or quality does not meet the standards sought.

“It says a lot about a community when you abandon small business for big box stores who offer prices that may seem cheap, but come at the cost of poor labor conditions and imported products,” Halpin said. “Buying locally helps assure you’re supporting businesses that offer good-paying jobs and quality products.”

House Bill 137 and 138 passed committee Thursday, and now head to the House floor.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To create jobs and stimulate the sale of goods manufactured in Illinois and America, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, is leading efforts to require the state of Illinois to prioritize the purchase of Illinois and American-made products.

“When we buy goods made in Illinois or America, not only are we getting well-made products, we’re also creating jobs and spurring the local economy,” Hoffman said. “It’s past time for the state to take the lead and give a serious boost to the mom-and-pop manufacturing firms that are vital to the state’s and nation’s economy. Our taxpayer dollars should be used to create jobs for us.”

Hoffman is the chief sponsor of a legislative package that works to ensure the state is buying Illinois or American-made products. The proposal includes safeguards that permit the purchase of items made outside of Illinois if the cost would be burdensome to Illinois taxpayers; however American made products would take precedence over any goods made overseas.

Jason Bakk, Plant Manager from Koppers Inc, an American based manufacturing firm with multiple Illinois plants, testified in support of Hoffman’s proposals.

“We’ve seen a reduction in our carbon materials and chemicals business in the United States over the last 10 years, as our customer and supplier base has moved more and more operations overseas,” said Jason Bakk, Plant Manager from Koppers Inc. “These changes have affected jobs in our industry as well as of our customers and suppliers.”

Hoffman’s measures aim to help Illinois and U.S. manufacturing firms like Koppers by prioritizing goods made in Illinois and America, creating jobs along the way.

“My proposal invests in products made by the hard-working people of Illinois,” Hoffman said. “These measures will put folks back to work, as more local jobs are created through investment in our communities. I urge my colleagues and the governor to support these proposals and vote for Illinois and U.S. jobs.”

Hoffman’s legislative package is comprised of amendments to House Bill 137 and House Bill 138. Both bills passed out of the State Government Administration this week and are awaiting further consideration in the House.

NORTHLAKE, Ill. – Following Wednesday’s State of the State Address from Governor Bruce Rauner, state Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Northlake, issued the following statement urging bipartisan negotiation to solve the state budget crisis:

“Since day one, I have been committed to working with Democrats and Republicans alike to bring more money to our local schools, fund critical services, and create jobs in our community. However, since Governor Rauner took office two years ago the backlog of debt has escalated from $4.5 billion to over $10 billion and counting. At the same time, seniors and people with special needs have seen their vital services slashed while thousands of college students are leaving Illinois for out of state universities.

“While Governor Rauner seems optimistic about our potential to come together and pass a budget, he and all members of the General Assembly must acknowledge how much damage has been caused by the inability to compromise. Moving forward, legislators from both sides of the aisle must work to find common ground and pass real reforms that will improve our business climate without hurting hard-working middle-class families.

“I hope to see the governor agree to reopen the discussion and resume the bipartisan budget working groups immediately. Passing a full, balanced budget must be our first priority, followed by enacting reforms that will grow our economy and help middle-class families thrive.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, offers the following statement regarding a new economic policy agenda to move Illinois forward and on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s State of the State Address:

“As I listen to members of our community, I’m reminded everyday just how much this historic budget impasse has negatively impacted their lives. Day care centers have closed, women haven’t been able to receive cancer screenings, seniors are losing meals and rides to the doctor, and health care services have evaporated, despite my best efforts to secure funding for these vital services. The governor’s refusal to restart legislative working groups that have worked in the past and negotiate in good faith on a budget is astounding. We need to restart these groups to discuss real reforms we can agree on.

“I agree with the governor that reforms are needed to jump start Illinois’ economy, but this can’t be done by cutting wages. Instead, we need to help middle-class families keep more of their hard-earned paycheck. That is why I support raising the minimum wage and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit.

“To help businesses grow and hire more people, we should cut the corporate income tax to provide relief to all businesses. We need to level the playing field for small and medium-sized businesses by making sure every business, including large corporations, pay some income tax.

“We also need to make sure that people throughout the state have the skills they need to compete for these good-paying jobs and that means investing in education. I support a plan that will institute a surcharge tax on millionaires, which will go towards funding education, without creating additional burdens on working families. We also need to make sure we are investing in colleges and universities across the state. Our public universities should never threaten that they may have to close their doors due to a lack of state funding. I am also committed to fully funding MAP grants, which helps thousands of students attend college.

“My priority is to work with legislators to develop a state budget that protects vital services and the middle class. I share your frustration about the stalemate going on in Springfield, but I refuse to support an agenda that hurts working families. I encourage the governor to come to my district and listen to the concerns of our community to understand that it’s time to move Illinois forward.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, issued the following statement on Gov. Rauner’s State of the State Address:

“I was sent to Springfield to fight for the people in my district, not focus on dismantling workers’ rights and their benefits. As a result of inaction on the governor’s part, people throughout the state have been forced to live without a fair and balanced budget. The governor needs to restart bipartisan working groups so we can negotiate in good faith.

“Illinois needs reforms that both protect the wages of the working class while also providing small businesses the opportunity to compete in an economy where large corporations dominate. We should provide tax relief for the middle class through initiatives like increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit and raising the minimum wage to increase take home pay for working families. We can also do more to make Illinois, and Chicago especially, more competitive by leveling the playing field for medium and small sized businesses to grow jobs. We need to eliminate the corporate tax loopholes that big businesses that ship jobs overseas enjoy and reinstate the EDGE tax credit to help new businesses create more jobs.

“Most importantly, we need to invest more in education. For far too long our schools have seen their resources fade and close. A place to start is to enact a millionaire surcharge so we can help our students receive a better education. The revenue from the surcharge would help fund schools to provide students with more opportunities to succeed in the classroom.

“I am hopeful that we can work together to ensure that we pass policies that protect working families from agendas that are designed to only help those at the top. The state cannot afford to be a part of this race to the bottom, but rather should be focusing on improving the economy for everyone.”

Harper represents the 6th District which includes all or portions of Armour Square, Bridgeport, Chicago Lawn, Englewood, Gage Park, Marquette Park, Canaryville, Back of the Yards, New City and West Englewood in the city of Chicago.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On Wednesday, Governor Bruce Rauner addressed the General Assembly in his annual State of the State address. State Rep. Will Davis, D-Hazel Crest, was present and issued the following statement after the address:

“In the past 19 months, our state has endured many hardships associated with not passing a fully funded budget. Not only has our lack of a budget hurt our families and our underprivileged neighbors, but it has completely devastated all the progress that we made toward paying down our unpaid bills. These bill have increased from a backlog of $4.5 billion to almost $11 billion in debt that is literally growing every day.

“Unfortunately, what we heard here today was a promise from our governor that we will see more of the same from him and his caucus. Sadly, until Rauner is willing to put families first, the most vulnerable people in Illinois will continue to suffer and our backlog will continue to grow to record numbers. Our governor continues to think that starving out people with disabilities, the elderly, and school-aged children will somehow encourage legislators to meet demands that will further boost the profits of his corporate buddies.

“Although there is a clear need to take steps to improve our business climate and create jobs and opportunities in our state, we cannot look at cutting wages and taking protections from middle class workers as the only ways to create a better business climate. We have to move toward policies that lift up the middle class and businesses together by increasing the minimum wage, providing tax credits to businesses that create jobs here in Illinois instead of shipping them overseas or out of state, and investing in the education of children in our state. Funding education is not only an investment into individuals, but it is also an investment into the future of our workforce and business atmosphere.

“We have to work together to come to a solution for our state’s fiscal issues; one side simply won’t be able to do it by itself. We need to come to a bipartisan budgetary compromise that includes reforms that help businesses while not harming the middle class and our most vulnerable community members.”

Davis represents the 30th Legislative District, which contains south suburban communities.  For any questions or concerns about state-related issues, please contact Rep. Davis’ full time district office located at 1912 W 174th St in Hazel Crest at 708-799-7300.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Deb Conroy, D – Villa Park, issued the following statement in response to Governor Rauner’s State of the State address on Wednesday:

“This afternoon, the governor asserted that Democrats and Republicans must work together and solve the budget crisis. I wholeheartedly agree that this should be our number one priority and sincerely hope that he is willing to put that talk into action by reinstating the bipartisan budget working groups. It’s urgent that Illinois legislators finally negotiate a compromise and put Illinois back on track.

“Over the past 19 months, people in our community have been held hostage to an extreme agenda that has restricted some of our most vulnerable neighbors from access to vital mental health and drug counseling services, jeopardized the future of the MAP grant program that helps our brightest college students prepare for successful careers, and forced thousands of Illinois seniors to wonder where they will receive their next hot meal.

“I believe that we can create jobs and grow our state’s economy without cutting wages and stripping away protections from our middle class. I remain dedicated to fighting for reforms that will lift up working families and level the playing field for small businesses while ensuring that our local schools, critical human services, and infrastructure receive the funding needed so our community can thrive.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In response to Governor Bruce Rauner’s State of the State address on Wednesday, state Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr., D-Elwood, released the following statement:

“The governor and legislators on both sides of the aisle must put aside their partisan differences and negotiate a fair and responsible budget that preserves programs for our most vulnerable residents. I agree economic reforms are necessary to improve Illinois, but I do not support proposals that lower wages and eliminate protections for middle-class families.

“Over the next few months, House Democrats will be advocating a bold economic reform agenda that provides tax relief for working families, raises the minimum wage and creates jobs by giving tax credits to businesses to hire more workers. I strongly believe that our state’s economy performs best when we have a strong middle-class and these reforms will help our residents thrive.

“Our reforms would get rid of tax loopholes used by large corporations to avoid paying any taxes and would require all businesses to pay something. At the same time, we must help the real job creators of Illinois, small and medium-sized businesses, by lowering taxes to promote economic growth.

“Lastly, I will continue to fight for better funding for our schools. Children in our communities deserve top-notch educational opportunities and I am supporting a proposal that asks individuals making over $1 million to pay their fair share toward our kids’ educational futures.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to enact legislation that will protect working families, create jobs and ensure that Illinois is ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”